Electric vehicles may be charged by way of a charging coupler. A charging coupler may include a charging connector extending from a charging device and a charging receptacle in the electric vehicle configured to receive the charging connector. The electric vehicle may be charged by inserting the charging connector into the charging receptacle of the vehicle. However, charging times using a traditional charging coupler may be unsuitable.
To address this, a Fast Charge function has been developed. In the context of electric vehicles, the Fast Charge function refers to charging of the vehicle batteries using a higher voltage and current than traditional charging configurations. Here, the higher voltage and current are received via a Fast Charge coupler interfaced with the electric vehicle. However, due to the increased current flowing through the Fast Charge coupler, safety issues may arise if the Fast Charge connector is removed from the charging receptacle of the vehicle during a charging operation. For example, an operator may become exposed to the high current or arcing may occur, if the Fast Charge connector is removed during the charging operation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a safety lock device having a sensor to determine the condition of a safety lock so as to prevent removal of the Fast Charge connector from the charging receptacle of the vehicle during a fast charging operation.